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Nineteenth century English poet Matthew Arnold created a basis for analyzing literature and life from what he believed to be the two foundations of all modern culture: Hellenism and Hebraism. Arnold characterized Hellenism, typified best by the ancient Greeks who supplied the name, as "sweetness and light." Hellenistic influence on culture is manifest in appreciation for the apparent gentleness in the beauty of nature, coupled with acknowledgment of its power and wildness. Hebraism, the tradition of the Hebrews and subsequent Jews and Christians, is built on "fire and strength." Its focus is primarily conduct and morality, and tradition rather than custom. These two foundations, Arnold says, ought to be balanced in one's adherence to them. Evil follows as a result of an imbalance of the two, and conflict results from the tension they can generate together. Just such a tension or imbalance often propels the plot of The Scarlet Letter. Let it be known that we speak of the terms...